


Phlox One Shots

by roseandremus



Series: Enterprise Stories [1]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-15 00:37:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11219580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseandremus/pseuds/roseandremus





	Phlox One Shots

You had slowly been saving up favours from fellow crewmen for the last two years. Some of those favours had been shifts, assignments, hook up help and advice among many things. You had even taken the chef’s shift once or twice even though you didn’t know what half of the instruments were.

At this point in time, you were in sick bay because of one favour. You were taking someone’s shift for them after setting them up with a fellow crewmen. It turns out that serving three shifts in a row is a bad idea. Phlox was silent throughout his evaluation of the burns to your hands and forearms. You were worried about his opinion of you and this wasn’t exactly the best way to get his attention.

“You will need a sufficient amount of sleep for these to be nicely healed. The generator can’t do all the work, so your body will need to generate the rest of the skin back.” Phlox stopped talking for a moment before appearing before you again. “If I remember correctly, you should be sleeping about now. Your shift ended quite awhile ago. What were you doing working in Engineering?”

You shifted uncomfortably before answering, “I traded shifts with a friend.”

Phlox unfortunately was a smart man and interrogated, “Traded? Hmm. A lieutenant came in here earlier last shift and said you were working then too and the shift before that. How many people did you trade with?”

You dropped your gaze to a chair to your right and replied softly, “Two people.”

“Why?” His voice was so soft.

“Am I dismissed?” you refused to look at the man before you. You couldn’t let him figure out what you were doing this for.

The Denobulan seemed reluctant but he allowed you to leave. What you didn’t know was that your superior was informed of these ‘tradings’ by one of the tradies. Your friend was worried and fessed up to Commander Tucker about your double and triple shifts. The Commander talked to Phlox who said he was worried about you only because when he checked your hands he also saw other injuries wracked up your arm. Scratches that were minor but still should have been given more than pressure and bandage. Scratches from sharp edges in Engineering and various tubes that recently had been fixed by you.

The next day when you showed up for shift, Commander Tucker asked to talk with you and you wondered if Phlox told on you. You knocked that aside and noticed the Commander looked worried.

“Your friend told me that you traded both him and his girlfriend their shifts for a favour for later.” The Commander seemed hesitant to continue. “I talked to Phlox to see if these extra shifts had been harmful. You burned your hands and forearms last night, you have scratches from sharp corners from several areas you worked and severe exhaustion. How the hell are you standing? Also, according to your friend you have served in other areas of the ship for when they wanted the shift trade but no one would trade. Do I need to order you to see Phlox and go back to your quarters? You can’t keep doing this (f/n).”

“I’ll go see Phlox and then return to my quarters. When should I come back, sir?” you knew this would happen eventually and spoke in exhaustion.

The Commander seemed proud of you for accepting the situation and simply stated, “Tomorrow same time unless Phlox says otherwise. See you tomorrow Lieutenant.”

You nodded and left for Sickbay thinking of all the ways this could go wrong. You arrived at Sickbay a few minutes later and saw Phlox waiting for you. You sat where he directed you and pulled your sleeve up for him. Phlox made sure your scratches were healing and left them be to check on how your hands and forearms were holding up under their protective wrappings. They were healing fine and wrapped up again.

“Why wouldn’t you come and show me these?” Phlox pointed at your arms where the scratches were generally sitting. He seemed upset that you didn’t come to him.

“They were minor scratches.” was your dry response.

“Did you come to me willingly for your burns last night?”

You didn’t answer at first unsure if you would have. Then you shrugged unable or unwilling to say anything should you spiel your inner thoughts.

“(F/n), I need you to tell me if you would have come for burn ointment at the very least.”

“I believe I would have come for ointment.”

Phlox nodded satisfied with the response and you relaxed your figure slightly before he asked, “What is the real reason you didn’t come for the scratches?”

You stiffened and the doctor noticed continuing his questioning, “Do you not trust me to fix them correctly? Are you uncomfortable with me or Sickbay or even doctors in general? Why didn’t you come to me to fix them?”

You whispered thinking it was too loud in the room suddenly, “I think I’m in love with you… And I’m terrified. Can I leave?”

Phlox allowed you to leave once again unsure on what to tell the Commander.

You were halfway to your quarters before you headed for Engineering. You looked at the list of need to be done and picked one that was away from others. You grabbed the appropriate gear and headed into the inner ship. You were sure that no one else would be there but the Commander was and he gave the most incredulous look you’d ever seen.

You innocently admitted, “It’s not what it looks like.”

“If it isn’t what it looks like, then what are you doing on shift? I thought I told you to take the day off.” the Commander was not happy to see you but was confused nonetheless.

“I find working in Engineering calming. Not too much or too little noise or people. The work is calming besides the scratches are fine as are the burns. The bandages should be coming off in two days.”

The Commander didn’t say anything but scooted over and handed you the tools, but he didn’t leave. He stayed the next hour and chatted with you, and you were glad the Commander was a friend. You let the confession you gave blend into the background of your life and moved on. Phlox never mentioned it and you were happy.


End file.
